Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whitewashed sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. St Matthew 23:27-28
Sometime ago I found myself apartment hunting. I’d look at different places trying to find the one I really wanted. As I moved from address to address, the one thing I always noticed was how fresh the paint job was . (I don’t like the smell of fresh paint). Besides, I always thought – naively or otherwise – that the paint was intended to cover up something the potential landlord didn’t want me to see.
This paint cover up reminds me of how pretentious we can be. We have the ability to hide what we don’t want others to know. That doesn’t work with our God! People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Sam 16:7. We can wash and clean and put up appearances as much as we want to. All the paint in the world cannot erase one mistake. He knows exactly what we’re trying to hide and He’s the only one who can get rid of our sinful stains.
Have you spent your resources on creating an image that’s not you? Have you been trying to fit into a shape that others have fashioned for you? Is it hard to let others see who you truly are? Are you constantly painting over your failures? Perhaps the ‘smell of your paint’ is pushing others away from you. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7) Once God accepts you, He loves and makes you new. There’s no point in trying to paint away your reality. Jesus loved us enough to die for us – we can be ourselves before Him. He receives us, washes us, cleanses us and gives us a brand new identity! Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17). Toss out your paint buckets and paint brushes. He will gladly receive you as you are!
Father … I’m thankful You see the inside as well as the outside. I’m thankful there is no place I can go to hide from You and there’s nothing in my life that You’re not already aware of. I can’t hide anything from You! I don’t always make the right choices but I’m thankful that You forgive, regardless. I pray that You will help me to walk in Your footsteps and not to beat myself up if I mess up but to seek You for cleansing. I want to be washed by You. I want to be cleansed by You. I can decorate the outside but the inside matters more to You. Create in me a clean heart, O God (Psalm 51:10). Let both the inside and the outside reflect You.
Amen
Blessings,
ann
Toni R
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bendedspoon
I surrendered the painting job already a few years ago. I painted myself based on what others expected to see in me — strong on my own. As a result my inside is decaying slowly until I accepted I am weak and needed Him for my strength. Now that He is my strength I feel that my inside is being revived wonderfully.
Ann thanks for featuring me in here and for the reminder that God accepts me.
🙂
Ann
Hey Sister
Only when we work according to His plan will we find satisfaction. Hanging onto the paintbrush gave me the false impression that I was in control. It wasn’t until I realized what a mess I’d become and gave my all to Him that change came. I didn’t want to be anything else except what He wanted me to be.
I’m thankful He didn’t give up on me, as rotting and superficial as I was. This is the reason I can’t help but love Him!
God bless you. May He continue to strengthen and order your steps as you walk with Him.
Rescued,
ann
Margaret
Ann,
We all like to “put our best foot forward” in order to be helpful, pleasant, and somewhat decent to be around…. 🙂 … But, there’s a huge difference between that and hypocrisy…. How wonderful that God knows absolutely every intent in our hearts.
Years ago, I tutored a very popular high school girl…. In our conversation, she said that the absolute, most important things in her life were clothes and friends, who were also popular…. I was floored…. All that is meaningless without a true life in Christ…. Her “friends” were only steps up the ladder of popularity.
Jesus knows what is under our “paint”, and only in Him can we become clean right down to the nitty gritty…. Then we are free from the burden of wanting to cover up our sins….. Thank you for getting down to the core…. Oh, how we need Jesus’ cleansing every day!
Love,
Margaret
Ann
So true, Margaret,
Without Christ it’s all a waste. Even if it’s beautiful and shiny and new 🙂
“Jesus knows what is under our “paint”, and only in Him can we become clean right down to the nitty gritty…. Then we are free from the burden of wanting to cover up our sins…..” Being honest before Him brings such a release. I’m thankful that nothing about me surprises Him and yet I continue to marvel at the fact that He knows the truth about me and still He loves me!
May all the things we desire meet with His approval.
Blessings,
ann
Linda Kruschke
Ann, Sometimes I wish we could see, like God does, into the hearts of others instead of judging on appearances. I guess the first step is to be able to honestly see into our own heart as God does and truly hope to find there contrition, humility, and compassion. I pray God will continue to change my heart so that is all He sees when He looks at me. Peace, Linda
Ann
Amen, Linda
When we start looking at ourselves through Jesus’ eyes, we will see others through Him as well.
I am praying that prayer too,
ann
Debbie
This has so much in it, so much good and needed. When I was first invited to church I told the woman that I didn’t think I was good enough to go to church. I needed a paint job badly, but wasn’t in any condition to even do that. She told me you don’t take a bath before you take a bath. 🙂 What a blessing. I went to church, unpainted, and the rest is history ( His story). Loving learning to let Him take care of how I clean up and appear inside first. Hoping it transfers to the outside from there. 🙂 God bless you and the wonderful way He paints His love on you.
Ann
Deb,
A friend once told me she couldn’t be a Christian because she was too messed up. I told her falling at His feet was the best thing to do! Sad thing is, sometimes as Christians we come across as perfect and untouched – not realizing we’re scaring away those who really need Jesus.
That was a very persistent lady. I like her response “you don’t take a bath before you take a bath.” Sweet! Glad you allowed Him to rewrite the ending 😉
Blessings,
ann
Moore to ponder
I confess that I kind of like the smell of paint in houses…lol My dad was a professional house painter for years. I remember once that he told me that paint won’t stick very well to a dirty wall.
When it comes to our hearts we might as well just go to the Lord for cleansing. I’m so glad that his cleansing “sticks”! 🙂
This was a great post. It really blessed me. Now it’s my turn to share a song:
Theresa
’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.
I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.
Ann
Aha!
“His cleansing sticks” I like that. 🙂
Thanks for that wonderful, comforting song. This was on my grandmother’s list of favourites. (This was right up there next to ‘What a friend we have in Jesus’. I love the Hymns 🙂
“Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood! ”
This verse says A LOT. Sometimes we feel so messed we think we’re beyond help but His blood cleanses from every unrighteousness.
Trusting,
ann
athomewithgod
Moore to ponder, thank you so much for sharing that song! It is just what I needed to hear right now.
The last few days God has really been peeling off the paint that has been preventing my heart from breathing. Breathing as I trust Him to supply me with all my needs for all time.
Ann
Hallo there,
I like your point about Him stripping off the paint. The visual of the heart covered in layers of paint makes me have a new appreciation of the way He cleanses. Yes, the heart does need to breathe, doesn’t it. So thankful He has the best stripping techniques – even the ones that hurt.
Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts. That scripture speaks volumes.
Blessings to you and yours,
ann
ServantBoy
Hi Ann
What a beautiful post and how wonderfully it reflects what John the Baptist said in Jn. 3:30 that ‘He must become greater; I must become less’. After we are saved by the grace of God, we want less of ourselves because of our carnal desires and more of Jesus Christ in us that we become like Him and reflect His love to the hurting world around us.
About being pretentious, it is such a reality in our lives. We have our Church personalities and our world personalities and it is always a crisis to permit the two to mix because we will be found out. I pray that God will help me be the same person everywhere are people will know me as His child, not a child of this world.
In Christ,
Vineet
Ann
Amen, Vineet
I pray along with you. May He bring about change in us daily until we become more like Him. Time spent in His presence will reduce the need to wear masks. Trusting Him to lead.
May His name be glorified.
Blessings,
ann
athomewithgod
Oh, I couldn’t agree more. The more time I spend with Him letting Him mold me and teach me what it really means to live in Him, the less I need to hang on to the image that assures me acceptance and understanding in the world. I want to be what He has called me to be, to know to the fullest the knowledge of Him and the experience of being His workmanship!
Ann
“I want to be what He has called me to be, to know to the fullest the knowledge of Him and the experience of being His workmanship”
I so pray!
To walk in His perfect will, to know the joy that comes with walking as He leads … I can’t think of anything that quite compares.
Blessings and thanks again,
ann
pbus1
Hi,
Man does look on the outward appearance, but God looketh into our hearts. It’s my desire that the Lord “shines a light from heaven on my soul, and if He finds anything in me that shouldn’t be, I want Him to take it out and strengthen me. I want to be right, I want to be saved, and I want to be made whole!” Quite a while back, we sang a song with similar lyrics, but they still ring true today. Wonderful post! God bless!
Paulette
Ann
So true, Paulette
I like that song. I so want to be right with Him! I spoke with a friend tonight … she said she’d rather live serving Him and find out He didn’t demand so much of us than to live how she pleased and find out she fell short of the mark.
May He be pleased with the offering of our hearts.
Blessings,
ann
justifiedfreely
I love this. I know that I have wasted so much time and effort in my life trying to “paint over” sins and faults in my life. The happiest day of my life was when I decided to stop “painting” and go to Jesus for cleansing and forgiveness. It’s so easy to try to put on a show for people, but God will not be fooled. Yet another reason to just surrender to Him. Thanks for this thought!
In Christ,
Ben
Ann
Bless His name.
It’s easier when we trust Him to take care of the issues. Can’t figure for the life of me why it’s hard to let go sometimes. His cleansing takes care of all that needs to be taken care of.
“Yet another reason to just surrender to Him.” As simple as that! 🙂
Thanks, Ben.
Blessings
ann
Kenisha
It is so amazing how God can place an experience and speak a word into one person life where they can share with so many and then to hear the responses of confession,praise and blessings.
Ann, God has given you this gift,never be swayed,don’t doubt it,he has created you for a purpose,keep ministering as he takes you to another level.This is a hard food(provision) meal,no baby food.I love it.
Lord,I come humbly before you and ask you to cleanse my heart of every fault and renew a right spirit within me.Forgive me for thoughts I have had,words I have spoken and things that I have done that are not glorifying to you or are in contradiction to your commands. I choose to walk away from this pattern of thoughts and actions and live your way.Lord,I realize you are God who knows the secrets of the heart.Reveal those to me that I do not see.Show me any place in my life where I harbor sin in my thoughts,words or actions that I have not recognised.Show me truth about myself so I can see it clearly.I want to cleanse my hands and my heart as you have commanded in your word(James4:8).
Kenisha
Ann
Sister,
You are such a blessing to me. Thank you so much for the way you support and encourage me. Sometimes it seems easier to throw in the towel and call it quits but at the right moment, God sends the right word!
Thank you for your prayer. I like the way you connect with your Daddy – may He always keep His arms around you and hold you close as you seek His will.
Be blessed in Him!
ann